The present invention relates to a walking device, in particular a toy device, which has a human shape or form and which can walk or traverse across a supporting surface.
Walking toy devices having a human shape or form have been proposed previously. However, such devices known to the applicant have been deficient in requiring large sole plates fitted to the free ends of the legs to support the toy, typically a doll, from toppling over. Such prior art toys also typically have employed unidirectional ratchet wheel bearings on the side of the sole plates which rest on a supporting surface, to facilitate forward movement of the toy. That is, the ratchet wheel bearings rotate in one direction only, generally the forward direction, and resist rotation in the other generally rearward direction. In such arrangements, the walking stride produced is often stiff and therefore of little real similarity to a human stride, while the direction of available movement is forward only.
Other prior art toys employ crank and rocker mechanisms such as is illustrated in FIG. 1. These toys also generally employ large sole plates fixed to the ends of the rocker bars, along with inwardly extending horizontal members which assist to ensure that the toy does not topple over laterally to the direction of movement, when one of rocker bars is lifted to leave only a single sole plate supporting the toy. As will be readily appreciated, these mechanisms also provide for non human-like leg movement, which instead is more robotic-like.
The above types of toy constructions are similar in that each employs rocker bars or connecting rods which also serve as legs, rather than employing actual separate leg members.
Other prior art mechanisms are described in several prior art patent specifications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,235 discloses a mechanism for moving the legs of a doll to simulate a walking motion. In this specification, leg supporting elements are rotated on eccentric pins to provide up and down leg movement, while forward and rearward movement is achieved by front and rear fulcrums against which the supporting elements abut during leg movement.
WO 00/07680 also discloses a mechanism for leg movement, in which the legs of the toy or device include jointed knees and the mechanism is such as to facilitate heel strike (against the ground or supporting surface) prior to toe strike. WO 01/17631 likewise discloses a further mechanism for simulated leg movement.
It is the view of the applicant that to date, none of the prior art adequately simulates or mimics proper human leg movement, including foot movement. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a walking device which more accurately mimics human walking movement at least in respect of foot movement.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a walking device which has a human-like form and which is relatively stable against toppling during walking and which is not restricted to walking movement in a forward direction only.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a walking device in which the device firmly engages or contacts the surface on which it is mounted to promote walking motion over the surface.
According to the present invention there is provided a walking device comprising
i. a body portion, defining a front, a rear and sides extending therebetween;
ii. a pair of legs, one leg being disposed on each side of said body and connected at an upper end to said body and defining a heel at the opposite and lower end for engagement with a supporting surface;
iii. a foot disposed at said lower end of said leg;
iv. a pair of spaced-apart shafts extending through the sides of said body for aid connection of said legs to said body,
wherein each shaft includes an eccentric end portion at each end thereof in connection respectively with said legs, each said end portion being received within an opening formed in said leg, a first of the openings being a journal opening which confines said end portion to rotation relative to said leg, and
a second of the openings being formed as a slot and permitting said end portion rotational and lengthwise movement within said slot relative to said leg,
whereby rotation of each said shaft causes said legs to move in a walking motion, in generally opposite directions.